Chirp... chirp...
"Ahhgrhh..."
Shorai groaned, stretching in bed as sunlight spilled across his pale face—an uncommon sight, given his nights spent training under the moon. He rose slowly, washed, ate, and dressed in his signature black-and-white lightning-web patterned outfit before stepping outside. The final year at the Academy had begun.
At the entrance to the Orphan Apartments, he saw Tetsuo scolding Naruto, who wore a dark shirt emblazoned with a red Konoha symbol and had his orange jacket tied around his waist.
"Good morning, Tetsuo-san, Naruto," Shorai greeted politely before heading toward the Academy.
On the way, the lingering echoes of the Heavenly Lotus Festival were evident—fashion had shifted, becoming sharper and more refined. Even early in the morning, the change was unmistakable.
Inside the classroom, the usual chorus of girls greeted him. He scanned the room—everyone had grown, Sasuke more brooding than ever.
"Good to see you, moody-kun," Shorai smirked.
"En… w-what?" Sasuke blinked, caught off guard.
"Final year, Sasuke! Wonder what'll happen to us by the end," Shorai mused, eyes sweeping over the class.
"I don't care. I'll definitely graduate!" Sasuke snapped.
Moments later, Sakura and Ino entered. Shorai's gaze caught a subtle exchange between the two—Sakura's eyes flickered with a mixture of envy, sadness, and worry as she watched Ino's confident smile and easy closeness with him. Sakura's shoulders tensed slightly, her thoughts unspoken but clear: Ino had succeeded in getting closer to Shorai, while Sakura herself remained distant from Sasuke, her own feelings tangled in frustration.
Then the bell rang. Iruka entered with Naruto, who wore a sheepish grin after being scolded.
"Good morning, everyone!" Iruka announced. "Your sixth and final year at the Ninja Academy has arrived!"
He paused, pride shining in his eyes. "This year is about refinement—keeping form, remembering how a Konoha shinobi carries themselves. Graduation will be split into three chances—one at the end of each semester. Pass any one, and you graduate. Fail all three, and you repeat the year—unless we see no potential, in which case you'll be guided toward another path."
Naruto raised his hand. "What if I fail all three, sensei?"
"As long as you pass one, you're fine," Iruka said firmly. "But no cheating! And if you fail all three, you'll stay another year."
The class erupted in chatter.
Shorai remained calm. He knew the truth—only the top nine would be selected. Clan heirs held most spots; a few were left for exceptional civilians. His gaze flicked to Sakura—his real competition. Naruto would likely get an exception. And Shorai? He was the wildcard.
Iruka passed out the curriculum. "For Specialized classes, there are nine lessons total, followed by a final test. This year, it's stricter—your self-discipline and study habits will be judged." He turned to Shorai. "For you, medical ninjutsu isn't mandatory since it overlaps with fuinjutsu. But you'll still need to attend the tests."
"Yes, sensei," Shorai replied.
"Good! Now—Academy grounds! Let's see how much you've slacked off!" Iruka declared, smiling.
Spring deepened. Shorai trained relentlessly—elemental control, taijutsu, chakra efficiency. He used the Reality Stone to warp knowledge, then studied the lingering muscle memory, refining the fusion of Wind and Lightning. His Clone, Transformation, and Substitution techniques were far beyond graduation level.
He reviewed medical texts, deepened his fuinjutsu under Hiruzen's mentorship—progress that impressed even the Hokage.
Meanwhile, Naruto had returned to his old ways—pranks, disruptions, and boundless energy.
As the first semester neared its end, Iruka's patience snapped.
"That's it!" Iruka erupted. "If you can't behave, we start now! Everyone—line up! Exam begins!"
"Eh???"
"WHAT?"
"NARUTO!!!!"
The class shot him glares as they reluctantly formed a line.
"Naruto—you first!"
Naruto stepped forward with a smile, made a hand seal—
Poof!
A pale clone, lifeless, sprawled on the ground beside him, provoking laughter from the class.
Shorai frowned. 'He should've improved… but no progress?'
Naruto's smile faded for a moment, then a sly one appeared directed at sensei.
"Naruto, that's nowhere near the passing line! You will have to surprise me with your mastery of Henge..." Iruka shook his head, scribing something, not noticing the boy's mischief.
Naruto quickly made a hand seal—Sexy Jutsu!
Poof!
A cloud of smoke swirled, forming a silhouette—a young blonde girl with twin ponytails appeared.
"I-iruka… senseiiii…" she cooed.
Iruka froze—then turned beet red, stumbling back and hitting his head on the board.
"Hahaha!" Naruto laughed, dispelling the jutsu.
"PERVERT!"
"IDIOT!"
Iruka fumed, a mix of anger and embarrassment on his face. "You will stay after class, Naruto!"
Naruto barely heard the detention as he mocked Iruka—then leapt through the window, escaping.
Shorai shook his head. 'And I thought my presence would influence him… but an energetic fool is still a fool.'
Iruka visibly twitched, clenching his fist and breaking a pencil. After taking a deep breath, he returned to face the class.
The exam continued. Most performed adequately—stable transformations, decent clones. But Shorai noticed a common flaw: weak chakra control. Too many neglected the Yin-Yang balance.
Then it was his turn.
No hand signs.
Poof!
An exact copy of Iruka stood in his place.
Then—another poof. A stable clone appeared beside him, hand on hip, half-smiling.
"Wow!"
"Two Senseis!"
Iruka beamed. "Excellent, Shorai!"
While Naruto faced an inevitable detention, Shorai's thoughts turned to summer.
Farewells were exchanged. Ino's expression shifted—something unspoken. Shorai sighed, pushing it aside. Only the goal mattered.
Spring faded into summer, summer into autumn.
Shorai's progress surged. His wind chakra flowed frictionlessly—his Shunshin now silent and seamless. Lightning surged through his nerves, his brain sharp, conscious. The union was close. Chakra reserves neared the threshold.
"Construct—analyze my body state. Am I there yet?"
"…Analyzing chakra volume… sufficient for Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."
The words echoed in his mind—his goal, six years in the making.
"Fucking finally… YEAH!"
He unsealed a scroll—one he'd kept hidden, containing forbidden knowledge.
He unrolled it.
Now, the real training began.
Charred marks revealing the title—The Shadow Clone Technique.